Category Archives: Life

Perhaps I imagine too much back story, but to me there’s something intrinsically sad about going to auctions. An auction at the Hotel des Ventes is not as bad as one in situ, as there is usually a variety of sources and reasons for the items coming up for sale, with the addition that you… Read More »

I thought it was hot about a month ago, but that was nothing compared to the temperatures now I don’t have an outside thermometer, but my phone app said the temperature last night was still 28C at 23h00. No wonder most of us are having problems sleeping. There was a little breeze yesterday evening, but… Read More »

Illness has stopped my play now. I caught a seasonal bug that laid me low and that I still haven’t managed to get rid of. Living in the cold, old house with some damp mould on a few walls may have contributed to that. On several occasions I’ve retreated to my bed and its electric blanket that transmits warmth… Read More »

I’ve been in two minds whether to post on this subject or not. I had another post ready after a blog break of over a week, but in the current climate it seems so frivolous. On the other hand I don’t want it to seem as though I’m using this tragedy as a way to post, as this… Read More »

If there was one job I could just hand over to a (free) robot it would be to prepare and paint our wrought iron work. H came down to help me with them, especially the highest parts, but even with that a second coat has only been applied to the door gate and the iron work… Read More »

Whilst awaiting permissions and funds for other works, I thought I’d start work on our large iron gates and the accompanying gated door. What seemed like a nice little job to do outdoors in the nice weather, became a Herculean labour. First, I tested whether there was any lead in the paint. Despite several layers… Read More »

Actually, it arrived several weeks ago. After much agonising trying to decipher what one was really getting for your money in all the internet packages and the contradicting information that we could or could not receive internet television at the address. In the end we decided to go with Orange, which I now realise is a… Read More »

Although there were some fantastically hot and dry days earlier, it has been raining off and on since the weather turned, accompanied by high winds. The shutters outside the windows are working themselves loose and banging into the windows. I could close them but then the house would be in darkness. I hear lots of bangs and see the… Read More »

I was excited. The neighbourhood was very excited. Their new neighbour was going to have a set of clean clothes and sheets. It went like clockwork – having discovered that there was existing plumbing in the kitchen for a washing machine so I didn’t need to pay out for a plumber, I’d ordered one and… Read More »

Unlike my sketch here of our dog in deep slumber (looking like a hairy piglet, but his hind legs do resemble one), I had a bad night of sleep mostly due to him. This was during the height of the bee invasion. I was putting out the rubbish bins for next morning collection when the dog darted out of the gate… Read More »